KARACHI, Feb 21 Although 14 years have passed since the alleged arrest or disappearance of Syed Gohar Anees, his family members still answer every doorbell of their fifth-floor apartment home in Federal B Area with the hope of his return.

His relatives say he must have turned 42 by now as he was taken into custody in June 1996 by law-enforcement agencies from the Martin Quarters residence of his elder sister with three other workers of the Mohajir (now Muttahida) Qaumi Movement.

Despite a dead end faced by police investigators after the registration of FIRs of the alleged arrests of 28 MQM activists on court directives, their families have not given up hope.

Apparently, the 28 men went missing during the post-1992 operation cleanup against the MQM, which has been in power now both at the provincial and federal levels for more than seven years.

In fact, the Supreme Court directives to the police earlier this month to register cases for alleged kidnapping and illegal confinement of 21 activists against security officials, a majority of whom are serving on senior positions, offered a glimmer of hope to the elder sisters of Gohar Anees, Sarwat Bashir and Nighat Humayun. However, the investigations into the cases of the missing persons seem to be heading nowhere yet.

Sarwat Bashir who brought up his brother after the death of their parents believed “he is still alive”. But Nighat Humayun could not hold back her tears when she recalled their last meeting in the North Nazimabad police station, the day after his arrest with three other party workers.

She said “They (police officials) asked us to stay calm and that there's nothing to worry about. They said our brother had been picked up for questioning and would return home in a day or two. But it never happened.

“Now with the cases already registered, we expect the probe may lead us and the families of the other 27 missing men to reach some conclusion.”

Some of these people have been missing since June 1992 when the then government decided to call in the army for a crackdown against terrorists, which the MQM described as 'state-sponsored brutality' against the party. Hundreds of workers were arrested and dozens of others were killed, which caused a government change in Nov 1996. The military action was initiated by one government but successive governments continued it till the MQM returned successful in the 2002 general election.

It was only last month that the Supreme Court finally ordered the registration of FIRs to bring the years-old incidents on record and investigation against the police officials concerned.

But despite the registration of cases, the miseries of these families are unlikely to end anytime soon as investigators seem reluctant to question those working on senior positions. The text of the FIRs repeatedly refers to the role of then DIG Dr Shoaib Suddle and former federal interior minister retired Major-General Naseerullah Babar behind the disappearance of the 28 workers, but the high-ups don't appear determined to question any of them.

Though the former interior minister is no more active in politics, Dr Suddle is currently serving as the federal tax ombudsman.

“We need to first investigate the allegations whether they are relevant,” says DIG Investigations Ghulam Qadir Thebo while talking to Dawn.

“If these allegations are found relevant, we will definitely approach the officials concerned; otherwise there won't be any significant progress.”

Unaware of these 'technicalities', the family of Ashfaq Ahmed, another worker of the MQM, pins all hopes on the investigations ordered by the Supreme Court.

Nasir Ahmed, the brother of the missing person, said he was picked up by law-enforcement agencies years ago.

“Our father lived in the hope to see Ashfaq Ahmed again until he lost his eyesight. He finally died in 2007,” said Nasir Ahmed amid sobs and tears rolling down his face as family members tried to comfort him.

Resident of Korangi, Ashfaq Ahmed was picked up with Syed Gohar Anees in June 1996.

The brothers of both the activists, Nasir Ahmed and Syed Babar Anees, amid hope feared for their lives after they succeeded to “expose the names of the main characters” behind their disappearance.

“We appeared before the Supreme Court as complainants seeking registration of cases against the disappearance of all the 28 MQM men,” said Nasir.

Babar Anees said “We don't know what would be the outcome of these cases, but sometimes we really feel threatened from those whom we have exposed. But one should know that the operation aimed at suppressing the party in fact strengthened the MQM as well as our loyalty and commitment [to the party].”

The MQM, which is a coalition partner in the PPP-led Sindh and federal governments, claimed that the party would pursue the cases and like the officials behind the missing person cases get punished regardless of their influence and political affiliations.

“We don't know whether they are alive or not,” said Syed Haider Abbas Rizvi, the MQM's deputy parliamentary leader in the National Assembly.

“Even if they are dead, we want to know why were they killed and who were the killers. Where are their graves and what forced the people concerned to conceal these facts for such a long time?

“We raised this issue in the past at every forum and we will keep doing so. It's not only a matter of 28 individuals, it relates to 28 families. Justice should prevail even if it demands accountability of influential persons,” Mr Rizvi added.